Five countries - Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon - in less than five days was the gruelling schedule for six members of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs who were on a fact-finding mission to the Middle East last week.
The PDs' Des O'Malley, FG's Michael Creed TD and Senator Avril Doyle, DL leader Proinsias De Rossa and FF Senators Mick Lanigan and Pascal Mooney, arrived in Jordan's capital Amman just in time for dinner last Sunday. On Monday they crossed the Allenby Bridge for meetings in Ramallah on the West Bank and then went on to Gaza to meet Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. On Tuesday they were in Jerusalem meeting advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and flew to Damascus that night. They left Syria by road for Beirut on Wednesday evening and on Thursday met Lebanon's President Hrawi and visited UNIFIL. They flew home first thing Friday morning.
Senator Doyle said discussions centred on Palestinian concerns about the lack of progress on the peace process with Israel. There was interest in our process and delight that we had found a formula. It was often pointed out that our peace broker, former US senator, George Mitchell, was born to Lebanese parents.
Despite the brevity and scope of the visit to such a volatile and dangerous area, there were no hitches and the intrepid six were whizzed around by plane and limo with outriders and guards. The only scary occasion was when they crossed from Damascus to Beirut. Such was the speed of the convoy, on bad, hazardous roads with hairpin bends and sheer drops, that several of our politicians threatened to get out and walk unless the drivers slowed down.